Elonzo sterne wheeler



No. 6|2,220. Patented Oct. ll, I898.

E. 8. WHEELER.

RAIL JOINT.

. (Application filed Aug. 20, 1897.)

(No Model.)

TN: NORRIS PErzns co. PHOTOYLITHQ, wnsmnorom o c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' ELONZO STERNE WHEELER, OF SAUGATUCK, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALFTO WILLIAM VAN DERVEER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 612,220, dated October11, 1898.

Application filed August 20, 1897. Serial No. 648,947. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELONZO STERNE WHEELER, of baugatuck, in the countyof Fairfleld and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvementin Rail-Joints; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings and the letters of referencemarked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, andrepresent, in

Figure 1, a view in side elevation of a railjoint embodying myinvention; Fig. 2, a view of the joint in end elevation, showing therail in section and also showing the upper portions of the two wedgesbroken away to disclose their hard-metal shoes; Fig. 3, a view in endelevation of the opposite end of the joint with the rail broken away;Fig. 4:, a

view of the joint in longitudinal horizontal section on the line a b ofFig. 2; Fig. 5, a detached view, in side elevation, of one of thewedges; Fig. 6, a detached view of the bottom of the same wedge; Fig. 7,a detached view, in side elevation, of the other wedge; Fig. 8, adetached View of the bottom of the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in rail-joints, the object beingto produce a simple, strong, durable, and effective joint of the typeemploying a housing and two corresponding oppositely-driven wedges, myimproved joint being constructed with particular reference to equalizingthe inward, upward, and downward pressures exerted upon the rail ends bythe wedges of the joint to hold them in the housing thereof.

With these ends in view my invention consists in a rail-joint havingcertain details of construction and combinations of parts, as will behereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

As herein shown, each of the rail ends comprises a ball A, a Web A, anda base A The joint proper consists of a trussed housing and twodriving-wedges, the said housing and wedges being constructed for thedriving of the Wedges in opposite directions from the opposite ends ofthe housing. The said housing has a depending centrally-arranged trussB, which is reinforced by laterally-arranged webs B, of which seven areshown, varying in length according to their location. The number ofthese webs will, however, be varied as required. The housingalsocomprises two upwardly-extending flanges B and B respectively locatedupon its opposite edges and extending throughout its length. A'shallowrecess 13, formed within the housing and extending throughout the lengththereof, is made just wide enough to receive the basesA of the railends, which are designed to have equal bearing throughout every portionof its bottom.

The flange 13 of the housing is formed with an inwardly projecting rib Band with a groove 13, located below the same, while the flange B of thehousing is formed with a corresponding rib 13 and a corresponding grooveB the said ribs and grooves extending throughout the length of theflanges. The wedges C and C are adapted to impinge at their bases uponthe upper faces of the bases A of the rail ends and at their upper edgesagainst the under faces of the balls A thereof. The wedge C is formedwith a groove C and with a rib C while the wedge C is formed with agroove C and with a rib C the said grooves and ribs of the wedgesextending throughout the length thereof. In order to permit the saidwedges to be driven in opposite directions into the housing from theopposite ends thereof and on opposite sides of the rail ends and so asto equalize the in- Ward, upward, and downward pressures upon the railends, the surfaces of the rib B and groove B of the flange B and thegroove 0 and rib C of the wedge C are pitched in the opposite directionfrom the surfaces of the rib B and groove 13 of the flange B and thegroove C and rib C of the wedge C. It will be understood, however, thatthe pitch of the said surface of one flange and its coacting wedgecorresponds in degree to the pitch of 5 the surfaces of the other flangeand its coactin g wedge, although the direction of the pitch isopposite, as set forth.

I particularly wish to call attention to the wideinwardly-pitchedsupportingand forcing 109 surfaces formed by the upper faces of the ribs13 and B of the flanges B and 13 these surfaces ooacting with the upperwalls of the grooves O and Gtof the wedges O and C.

When the wedges are driven in opposite directions, as described, intothe housing, the upward, downward, and inward pressures brought to bearupon the rail ends will be equalized upon the opposite sides thereof,this being, as I may say, the ideal mode of holding the rail ends. IWish to call attention to the facts that these pressures are brought tobear upon the rail ends above the bottoms of their bases and that thelateral thrusts upon the rail ends are received and sustained on linesjoining the under faces of the balls of the rail ends and the inclinedupper faces of the ribs of the flanges of the housing.

As herein shown, the inner portions of the wedges are corrugated inform, so as to clear a portion of the webs of the rail ends and formspaces for electric bonding, which may be of any suitable construction;but it is not necessary, so far as my present invention is concerned, toadapt the Wedges to this purpose.

In order to prevent the motion of the ends of the rails from eating,soto speak, into the soft malleableiron wedges at the points where therails abut, I prefer to shoe the upper edges of the wedges with steelshoes D D, which overcomes the difficulty referred to.

It is apparent that in carrying out my invention some changes from theconstruction herein shown and described may be made. I would thereforehave it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact constructionshown, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterationsas fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is v 1. A rail-joint comprising a housinghaving two upwardly-extending flanges located upon. its opposite edges,extending throughout its length, and formed with inwardly-projectingribs extending throughout their length and havinginwardly-inclined upperfaces,and two corresponding wedges adapted to be driven in oppositedirections from the opposite ends of the housing, and formed in theirouter faces with longitudinal grooves extending throughout their length,and receiving and coacting with the said ribs, and the said flanges ofthe housing and the said wedges being formed with inclined or beveledsurfaces which coact in imposing substantially equal inward, upward anddownward pressures upon those portions of the rail ends with which thehousing and wedges come in contact.

2. A rail-joint comprising a trussed housing, and two correspondingwedges adapted to be driven in opposite directions, the said housingbeing provided upon its opposite edges with upwardly-extending flangeshaving inwardly-extending beveled ribs, formed at their upper edges, andthe wedges being formed with suitable grooves for the reception of thesaid ribs, which coact with the wedges through the said grooves thereofin exertinga sustaining pressure upon the lower faces of the balls ofthe rail ends.

3. A rail-joint composed of a trussed housing, and two wedges, thehousing having upon its opposite sides corresponding integralupwardly-extending flanges furnished at their upper edges withinwardly-extendin g beveled ribs, and the said flanges and wedges havingtheir coacting surfaces beveled or inclined so as to exert inward anddownward pressure upon the webs and bases of the rail ends, andsustaining upward pressure upon the lower faces of the balls of the railends.

4. A rail-joint wedge having its upper edge shod with a hard-metal shoeto resist the Wearing of the motion of the abutting ends of the rails,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

, ELONZO STERNE WHEELER.

Witnesses:

WEBB VAN DYKE, ROBINSON H. WHEELER.

